'Millions of flies': Food spoiling in Manitoba First Nation communities evacuated because of wildfires
First Nation communities evacuated due to wildfires in Manitoba will be coming home to a big mess of spoiled food after power was lost in many areas.
Ainsley Semple is one of the many people displaced from several First Nation communities. A resident of Berens River First Nation, Semple has been living in a Comfort Inn in Winnipeg for more than a week now.
"I was really rattled. Like, I came out last week Wednesday. I was supposed to get evacuated with everyone Monday/Tuesday, but my spouse is [initial attack crew] and works with the fires and I wanted to stay behind as long as I could," said Semple.
Semple said power was lost in the community the night before she left.
"We headed to the city, and I heard there were people going around the reserve emptying out freezers. So I had to phone the forestry, and they got the keys from (my husband) from the fire, they sent a chopper to get the keys, and a family member went to my house and emptied the fridge and the freezers."
When Semple's aunt and another community member went to empty her freezers, they found a large mess of spoiled food and bugs.
"They said when they entered the house, there were millions of flies and blood on the floor," Semple said. "They had to throw away one of my freezers that couldn't be saved."
Semple's aunt and the community member stayed all day to clean the house. Even after their hard work, Semple's floor is stained for good.
"I still want to go home. My home is my home," said Semple.
According to Semple, power has been restored to Berens River First Nation, but she has no idea when she'll be allowed back with several fires still raging near the community.
"I'm just scared for my reserve," she said. "The fire is crawling towards my reserve."
CTV News reached out to Manitoba Hydro on the holiday weekend for more information on the outages. This story will be updated when they respond.
-With files from CTV’s Danton Unger.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.